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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. staff — employees
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. staff — employees
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. game — a match
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. present — the time now
  14. face — part of the head
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. face — to confront
  17. staff — a stick
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lie — to recline
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com